This is a recently discovered song. Maybe that’s why it managed to creep up this far on the list, because it’s really fresh and exciting still. I had downloaded Katie Herzig’s album Apple Tree on NoiseTrade and I was pretty impressed by it overall, especially for an album given away free and legal. The sing ‘Forevermore’ was really cute and bouncy, and ‘Shovel’ was another favorite. But this song was my favorite and right now it’s popping up a lot on my playlists. Only time will tell how much staying power it will have, but for now I love it! The lyrics aren’t anything special, but the song is catchy and hooky. Number nine is from ‘Apple Tree’, which is probably still available for free download.
9- Hologram- Katie Herzig


If you’ve heard any amount of Japanese pop music, you know that it tends to sound very much the same. From song to song, from artist to artist, there isn’t a great deal of variation in the style and themes of the songs, or in the sound of the vocals. I don’t mean it to disparage it, because some of it is quite beautiful, it simply isn’t very unique sounding to those who aren’t well-versed in it. That’s why I was so surprised and impressed by the band Love Psychedelico. Not only is their sound completely unique, but their style is pretty unique to the world at large. The lead singer sounds almost bored as she sings, and the guitars are almost lazy, but it all comes off as melodic and punky nonetheless. I o love songs that are sung in different languages, and this song is great because it has Japanese lyrics as well as English that I can understand, so it’s the best of both worlds. The lyrics are cryptic and fascinating, and drop me down on a lonely Japanese beach. From ‘This is Love Psychedelico’ its:
8- Standing Bird- Love Psychedelico


I just adore the lyrics in this song. They’re simple and lovely, and they’re sung in such a plain unassuming way…. Complexity can be impressive, but keeping it simple has it value too. The subtle harmonies are just enough, and the instrumentation never takes attention away from the real point of the song, which is its message. The song has an innocence to it, and it carries the listener through a range of subtle emotions without ever becoming whiny or cheesy, twee or overly sentimental. This song is the personification of a beautiful summer evening stroll as the stars begin to appear. The seventh place goes to this song from the album ‘Hideaway’.
7- Hideaway- The Weepies

The Raveonettes have released Christmas songs this year, and it's called “Wishing You A Rave Christmas”. The ep includes great songs for this holiday. A must have for any lover of Christmas, garage ...rock, or Danish duos. The band applies close harmonies and fuzzy guitars to Phil Spector's 1963 holiday pop classic "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)", plus 3 originals.

The Raveonettes - Christmas (baby please come home)
The Raveonettes - Come on santa

Deerhoof is a weird and prolific band. I can’t claim to have heard even close to a tenth of all their songs. But of what I have heard, this is far and away my favorite. Yes, it’s weird too. But it’s just so catchy. I find myself humming it all the time, which is unusual for song that is so oddball; that la-la-la chorus is infectious good fun to sing along with. The singer, Satomi Matuzaki, gives the whole thing a child-like innocence, and though some people might find it off-putting I really love how her slightly broken English adds to the charming and somewhat bewildering mysteriousness of the song. Off of Deerhoof’s ‘Offend Maggie’, its:
12- Chandelier Searchlight- Deerhoof


Sometimes a song is all about fun. Sometimes it’s all about substance. I think this song manages to cram both into a four minute package. The jerky, bouncy vocals and beat are unique, the tinkling piano is wonderful accompaniment, and the chorus is easy to sing along with. The overall effect just commands attention because it’s ambitious and unexpected, grandiose and gallant, and best of all it makes me feel good when I hear it. It borders on the ridiculous at times, but it’s all so perfectly pulled together that I never go away feeling like it was silly. It’s also nice that there’s a chunk of song to bite into; it’s not a wimpy two minutes but a nice full piece with plenty of interesting lyrics crammed in. My number eleven song comes from the album ‘Let Live and Let Ghosts’
11- Good Day- Jukebox the Ghost


For a piece of work named after a lowly household item, this song really rocks. I love the rollicking piano woven all through, and steady rumbling train like beat. The lyrics are bright and charismatic, and Matt Vasquez sings with the delicious passion that I look for in a great song. He sings like his heart is about to burst with excitement as he shouts his love to the world. The first time I heard this song I listened to it ten times in a row, and its feel-good power has not diminished in the dozens of subsequent plays. I love a good foot stomping beat! The number ten spot goes to ‘Trashcan’ from the album ‘Ode to Sunshine’ by Delta Spirit.
10- Trashcan- Delta Spirit

I was wary of writing any kind of top anything list. I haven’t been able to listen to a lot of albums in full, and I’ve mostly been subsisting on singles with an occasional album stick in here or there. For example (and this might be considered appalling to anyone following this year’s music) I have not actually listened to the whole Fleet Foxes album. Yes, it’s true. With so few full albums under my belt, I couldn’t possibly think my opinions are well-formed enough to create any kind of top album list. So I decided that I would create a year end list of songs that you probably haven’t heard but should. If you have heard them you may already love or hate them. If you haven’t give them a listen! These are songs that flew under the radar for the most part and songs I think deserve a little more attention. But remember, this is only a drop in the bucket of great songs from this year, and these are gleaned from my personal library and not the massive collective of songs that are out there. I don’t claim that this definitive, these are just the top songs I wanted to share! So, if you know a good song that I missed, feel free to share it with me too.

I’ll be counting down to the New Year with three of these songs each day, with the final three on the last day of the year. Enjoy.

First off we have a runner-up. This song didn’t quite make it on the list, but it’s worthy of notice nonetheless. The band Department of Eagles didn’t make it on very many of the end-of-the-year lists, but their haunted new album ‘In Ear Park’ attracted a lot of attention in the indie circles. I’m not entirely sold by them just yet. As far as experimental/freak-folk music goes they’re on the less-listenable end of my scale, but of course experimental stuff always pushes the boundaries of acceptance. So I’d say, don’t write them off, give them a listen yourself and decide. Anyway, this a good song that’s just a few inches closer to typical, though it didn’t creep up quite far enough to make the list.
Runner-up- No One Does It Like You- Department of Eagles

For me a great song needs to have excellent lyrics as well as a unique sound, some aspect that sticks in your head, and a passion that comes through in the singing and the instrumentals. I loved this song the first time I heard it because it’s dreamy, and magical, and I adore the way and it soars through the upper stratosphere, skimming over snowy mountain ranges and the deep blue sea. It ended up at the tail end of my list just because it’s not as hummable or catchy as some of the other songs, and it’s not one that gets me as excited when it pops up on shuffle, even if that doesn’t diminish the delight of listening to it when it does. I give you number fifteen from the album ‘Alpinisms’.
15- Connjur- School of Seven Bells

This song alternates between raucous and quiet, and it manages to be quite catchy along the way. The guitars are upbeat (and in fact whirring), the cymbals are clashing, the tambourines are dancing all the way through, and the lyrics are hopeful without compromising the autumn-approaching-winter feeling of the song. From ‘Kids Aflame’ it’s number fourteen, ‘Whirring’.
14- Whirring- Arms

This song is gorgeous and elusive. It would probably have placed higher on the list but the list was already full when I remembered. That’s it’s only problem; it’s a little forgettable. It’s not a song I think of very often, but when I do listen to it the gentle, bittersweetness of it all ensnares me and makes everything melt away. It’s a feather on the air and while you can see you can appreciate its silken, softly glowing beauty, but all too quickly it slips away. From ‘The Sparrow and The Crow’, it’s ‘I Don't Feel It Anymore’, also known as number thirteen.

Listen to it here:
13- I Don't Feel It Anymore (Song of the Sparrow)- William Fitzsimmons

Some great suffle songs for holiday!

Sufjan Stevens - Good King Wenceslas 2008

Joan As Police Woman - Holiday (To Survive 2008)

Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal (Fleet Foxes 2008)

Amy Winehouse - He Can Only Hold Her (Back To Black 2006)

The Fiery Furnaces - Here Comes The Summer (Ep 2005)

The Beach Boys - Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town ( Merry Christmas 1992)

Seattle's Fleet Foxes shook the year, their songs were posted on every single indie blog, zine. I loved their first Sun Giant EP, then deput album became everybody's favorite cause it was such a smooth listening experience. It already took attention including in most of end of year lists.

White Winter Hymnal was voted the best song of the year by Pitchfork readers. Plus, every song is great in self-titled Fleet Foxes. This is their first album borrowing from ageless folk and classic rock, reminding legend Beach Boys, maybe we can call them as indie rock version of the Beach Boys. We've listened many great bands, however this is sure the band of the year.

listen:
Fleet Foxes - Quiet Houses
Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal

1. Sam Sparro - Sam Sparro
2. Katy Perry - One of The Boys
3. Adele - 19
4. Duffy - Rockferry
5. Lady Gaga - The Fame
6. Dido - Safe Trip Hom
7. Robyn - Robyn
8. Britney Spears - Circus
9. Estelle - Shine
10. Leona Lewis - Spirit

No information no babbling, here comes my best songs of 2008.

1. Sam Sparro – Black & Gold
2. Hercules & Love Affair - Blind
3. Portishead - Machine Gun
4. The Last Shadow Puppets - My Mistakes Were Made For You
5. TV on the Radio - Golden Age
6. Nada Surf - Weightless
7. Metallica - The Day That Never Comes
8. My Brightest Diamond - Inside a Boy
9. Boris - Buzz-In
10. Vampire Weekend - M7911
12. Duffy - Warwick Avenue
13. Bloc Party - Mercury
14. Katy Perry - I Kissed A Girl
15. Adele - Chasing Pavements
16. Glasvegas - Daddy's Gone
17. M83 - Kim & Jessie
18. Coldplay - Viva la Vida
19. Goldfrapp - Caravan Girl
20. Estelle Feat Kanye West - American Boy